Are you a very independent person who prefers to do things for yourself? Or, perhaps you fear or dislike asking others for help? Maybe you should consider that the help you need can come from within yourself! Below are a number of tips to help you on your journey towards self help.

It can be tempting to vow that we will never do _____ (insert bad habit here!) again, but such a mentality can often set us up to fail. Rather than vowing never again to engage in your bad habit, vow not to engage in it for the next 24 hours.

Figure out what you want to do with yourself. This doesn’t mean that you need to map out your entire life in advance. Consider the next five years. Where do you want to be? What does your life look like? If you evaluate this vision you can pull apart the layers and determine the best course of action to get where you need to be.

The best way you can help yourself is to spend more time relaxing. Many times, people get depression or anxiety because they are overwhelmed. By taking even one hour out of your day to just relax, read a book or watch TV, your mind is more stable to handle important matters.

Learn the power of saying “no” when you need to. This is not easy by any means, but it’s the only way to stay focused on the important things in your life. Saying yes to everything may result in the loss of ability to say yes to the best things. Say no more often and take back the control over your schedule and your life.

Make gradual changes. When you want to change, it can be tempting to jump into a new way of life. But many times when you take a big leap like that, you end up falling back into your old ways. Take your time and gradually ease into new things. Chances are,you will adopt the new lifestyle altogether.

When looking at life try to focus on the positive. It is just too easy to look at the negative and compare yourself to others and see that they have this or that. Turn it around and just focus on yourself and what it is that you actually do have. This will give you a better outlook on life.

Switch up your reading selections. If you generally stick to romance novels, autobiographies, or lighthearted novellas, pick up a few books from different genres. You may opt for a cooking guide, essay collection, how-to, or perhaps a book that takes place in a different era or culture. You will be surprised by how addictive knowledge can be, and your self-esteem will climb.

Do not worry about asking for help, everyone needs to sometimes. Just remember that you can also ask yourself for help. The tips above will help you do this and teach you ways to aid yourself so you can be the best version of yourself there is! Start your journey today!